Standard Windows Keyboard Layout

and

Keyboard Shortcuts

Applies to Windows 7, 8 and 10

Desktop keyboard

Laptop keyboard

Explanation of the Keys on a Windows QWERTY Keyboard

"The name "QWERTY" for our computer keyboard comes from the first six
letters in the top alphabet row (the one just below the numbers). It is also
referred to as the "Universal" keyboard. It was the work of inventor C. L.
Sholes, who put together the prototypes of the first commercial typewriter in a
Milwaukee machine shop back in the 1860's. This key layout prevents the keys
from jamming on the old typewriters".

Keyboard Layouts: There are two major English Language computer keyboard
layouts, the United States layout and the United Kingdom layout. In Australia
and English speaking Canada, the U.S. Keyboard is used. The UK keyboard has
additional keys added for the Pound and Euro currency symbols and some other
special symbols are in a different location. So when you are installing a new
operating system select the U.S. Keyboard layout.

Keyboard Short Cuts are a Single Function Key or combinations of two or more
keys that perform a task that would typically require searching through a menu
system and using the mouse. Key combinations will include the CTRL, Alt and
Shift Keys Plus one of the Function Keys or a letter key. There is also a
special function key with the Windows Logo on it and on laptops a key with FN on
it.

Esc

Equivalent to clicking the Cancel button. In PowerPoint
the Esc key will stop a running slide show. On a web page with
animations, the Esc key will stop the animations. On a web page that
is loading, the Esc key will stop the page from loading. The
keyboard combination Ctrl + Esc will open the Start Menu.

F1 Thru F12

Function Keys: All Computer keyboards have a row of Function
Keys across the top of the keyboard marked F1 to F12. They have a
variety of different uses or no use at all, depending on the
Operating System and which program is running. When combining the
ALT or CTRL key with the Function Key, the number of uses is greatly
increased. Example: pressing F1 will normally open a Help Menu or
pressing ALT + F4 will close the open window. Laptops have an
additional Key labelled FN to further expand the use of the
Functions Keys. Function Keys and Keyboard shortcuts are explained
in detail below.

Print Screen/SysRq

Usually located at the upper right hand corner of your keyboard
next to the Scroll Lock and Pause/Break keys. Often
abbreviated PrtScr, the Print Screen key is a useful key
supported on most PCs. Some graphics programs and Windows,
use the Print Screen key to obtain Screen Captures
which are stored in the Clipboard.

Scroll Lock

This key is not frequently used and some keyboards may lack the
Scroll Lock key. It was used on older programs to lock all scrolling
techniques, but with the advent of the Wheel Mouse and Scrollbars it
fell out of use.

Pause/Break

This key is not frequently used. Software developers use this key
to Pause execution of program code when testing or it can be used to
pause screen output by the BIOS or DOS outputs. OR in combination
with the Windows Key:

+ Pause/Break

Displays the Systems Properties dialog box.

Tab

This key can be used to move forward through options in a dialog
box or move the text insertion point a set number of spaces.

Ctrl + Shift + Tab can be used to move backward through the
options.

Ctrl + Tab allows movement from one open window to the next in an
application with more than one open window.

Locks the keyboard in "Capitals" mode (only applies to Alpha
keys). The Caps Lock key should be used with caution. Using ALL CAPS
is a usability no-no as many have difficulty scanning text that is
ALL CAPS. Also, when sending email in all caps,
this could be misconstrued as shouting at someone.

Shift

The obvious use of this key is to allow selection of capital
letters when depressing the alphabet characters, or selecting the
characters above other non-alpha keys.

Depressing the Shift key while inserting a CD-ROM will bypass
auto play.

Special Keys used in conjunction with other keys to form
Keyboard Short Cuts. The FN key will only be found on Laptops
and is used to access the secondary function printed on the Key.

Space Bar

Insert a space between words. It is suggested that you utilize
Tabs (or other formatting commands) to put distance between
elements. Using the space bar to insert visual space works but would
not be considered a best practice in page design. Double spaces
between sentences are no longer required. This is a carryover from
the days of fixed width fonts on a typewriter such as Courier,
Orator, Prestige Elite, etc.

Pressing the Space Bar while viewing a web page in Internet
Explorer will scroll the page downwards. Shift + Space Bar will
scroll the page upwards.

Enter

Creates a new Paragraph <p> ()
or what is referred to as a Hard Return. In any dialog box a
selected button or command can be selected by depressing this key.
Selected buttons can be recognized by their darker (dotted) borders,
or what is referred to as Focus.

Shift + Enter

Creates a new Line Break <br> ()
or what is referred to as a Soft Return.

Shift + Arrow

Shift + Arrow Up, Down, Left or Right.
Position your cursorat
the beginning of the area you wish to highlight
for copying. Now use the up, down, left or right arrow keys to
select areas of content to be highlighted,
copied, pasted, etc.

Backspace

While working with text, use this key to delete characters to the
left of the insertion point.

Insert

While working with text, use this key to toggle Insert or Type
Over (replace) text as you type. In newer version of Word this
Function has to be enabled in the Options Menu.

Home

Go to beginning of line or depress and hold the Ctrl key as you
select Home to go to the Beginning of the document.

Page Up

In a browser window use the Page Up key to move up one full
screen on a web page.

Delete

While working with text, use this key to delete characters to the
right of the insertion point. This key can also be used to delete
selected files. If you use the keyboard combination Shift + Delete
the item is permanently deleted, bypassing the Recycle Bin.

End

Go to End of Line or depress and hold the Ctrl key as you select
End to go to the End of the document.

Page Down

In a browser window or text editor, use the Page Down key to move
down one full screen on a web page.

Up Arrow

Navigate in a document to the line above. Hold the Ctrl key down
as you press this key to move to the beginning of the second line
above.

Right Arrow

Navigate in a document one character to the right. Hold the Ctrl
key down as you press this key to move one word to the right.

Down Arrow

Navigate in a document to the line below. Hold the Ctrl key down
as you press this key to move to the beginning of the second line
below.

Left Arrow

Navigate in a document one character to the left. Hold the Ctrl
key down as you press this key to move one word to the left.

Function Keys & Keyboard Shortcuts

Keypad Keys

Num Lock

If you want to use the numeric keypad on the right end of the
keyboard to display numbers, the Num Lock key must be selected
(usually a light above the Num Lock will indicate that it is on). If
you want to use the keypad to navigate within a document, turn off
Num Lock by pressing the key (the light will go off).

Laptops that do not have a separate Number Keypad may have the Keypad
printed on some of the letter keys. See the Laptop Keyboard Picture at the top
of this document. Pressing the F11 Function key will turn on/off this keypad. If
you press the letter "J" and get "1" instead you have the number keypad turned
on.

Explanation of the Alt Key

1. The Alt by itself will open the MENU Tool Bar in both Internet
Explorer and Firefox.

2. In older versions of Word the Alt key will open the items on the Menu Bar
that are underlined. Alt F opens File, Alt E opens Edit and so on.

3. In newer versions of Word with the Ribbon Tool bar, the Alt key turns on
Letters for each different section of the Ribbon and pressing that letter will
take you to that section or tab. Example Alt + N opens the Insert Tab on the
Ribbon Tool Bar followed by a letter being assigned to each item.
Alt + N + I opens the Insert Hyperlink Dialog Box.